1. A Great Pillow!

2. Massage

A great pregnancy massage can really change your outlook on pregnancy and helps with those aches and pains. I went to 2 places – Endota Spa Macquarie Centre and Natural Tranquility in North Ryde. For Endota, you need to book about 5/6 weeks ahead, and sometimes more so book in now. At Natural Tranquility it’s probably 2 weeks, but get them to add your name to the waitlist if you want to be seen sooner. If you have private health insurance for remedial massage you can swipe your health care card here and pay the difference.

Both Endota and Natural Tranquility have massage therapists trained in pregnancy so let me know you’re pregnant when you call to book or select that option online.

3. A Body/Stretch Mark Oil

The belief is that there’s a strong genetic component to stretch marks so no miracle oil will change that. However, an oil is still valuable as your skin stretches and gets itchy and dry so hydration is vital. Rubbing oil into your tummy each day is also a nice way to bond with your baby (don’t forget your hips, buttocks, thighs and breasts, they will love the hydration too!).

My 2 fave oils are Weleda Stretch Mark Oil and Organic (google the product as stockists regularly have on sale) and cold-pressed Rosehip oil from RosehipPLUS – make sure you sign up to their newsletter for a 30% welcome discount.

4. Exercise

I believe maintaining your exercise regime while pregnant is important. Not just for you and your health but also that of your unborn baby. I also think it helped with a smoother labour and my body was stronger and better able to handle it. Of course, make sure you chat through options with your GP/midwife/OB to ensure it’s safe for you to undertake your chosen exercise regime. I mainly stuck to reformer Pilates, strength training and gentle swimming.

For Reformer Pilates, I ensured my instructors were prenatal trained. I go to The Blissed Out Movement in Gladesville and did classes with both Sarah and Vanessa who are excellent instructors and also prenatal trained. They gave me tailored moves as my pregnancy processed that were safe and suitable for my stage of pregnancy. But don’t worry they still made it challenging! Learn more about Blissed here.

For Strength Training, I went to Club Bodyworx at Gladesville. I did classes with Lucy and Tiarne (both prenatal trained) and also PT with Lucy. Again, moves and equipment was tailored to me and my pregnancy. I am so grateful to these ladies. I was able to safely exercise until 36 hours before I went into labour. I greatly believe doing this exercise really aided in me feeling good throughout my pregnancy and assisted in my labour.

5. Colostrum Expressing Kit

One thing I had but didn’t get a chance to use was my colostrum expressing kit from Milky Goodness. I had intended to try to start to express colostrum and freeze from 36 weeks so this could be given to my baby once born and before my milk came in. Unfortunately, I had my baby at 35 weeks so didn’t get a chance to use it. I’m now even more an advocate for expressing colostrum because with a premmie and not having any colostrum when initially born meant we had to supplement with formula until my milk came in.

I love the Milky Goodness kit as it has various size syringes (you’ll express more the more you do it), caps for the ends, labels and a handy fridge magnet about how long you can safely store breast milk. Milky Goodness also does lactation cookies (these are so yum!) and they recommend you have one every few days from 35 weeks to help with colostrum production. Use code: RDM15 for a 15% discount at Milky Goodness excluding packs. View their range here.

6. Great Maternity Bras

7. Good Undies